Single Core or Multicore performance more important in audio production?

[Tendou]

Hey guys im wondering if for audio rendering the single core rendering or the multicore rendering is more important.
To say it more directly: I want to buy a Ryzen 5900x or an 5950x and the thing is, single core rendering is pretty even on benchmarks but of course multicore rendering the 5950 is better.
However in benchmarks there are always only graphic renders and no audio rendering.

To be more specific Im using Ableton as my DAW and Im tired of waiting for that long when Im freezing or exporting stems.

One more thing I wonder about is how VSTs behave on multicore support, as far as I know modern VSTs or VST3s in general do use the multicore or did I get this wrong?

Thank you.

[chk071]

As most plugins still run on a single core, I'd go for more single core power.

[fese]

Some VST instruments can use multiple cores, plugin effects generally can’t, so yeah, single core performance is still key in audio workstations. And then as many cores of that as you can afford

[Tendou]

and audio exporting and rendering audio?

but if single core performance is more important I will go for the 5900 bc its even better than the 250$ more expensive 5950

[Markus Krause]

It currently seems impossible to get a Ryzen 5000 CPU for a reasonable price.

I recently bougt a AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core. I also own a AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core.
Both are fantastic for audio.

If you also play games go for the 8 core. If you also do video stuff go for 12 or 16 cores.

[Tendou]

It currently seems impossible to get a Ryzen 5000 CPU for a reasonable price.

I recently bougt a AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core. I also own a AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core.
Both are fantastic for audio.

If you also play games go for the 8 core. If you also do video stuff go for 12 or 16 cores.

I know but Im deciding know and wait for the zen3 availability so I can put the money aside.

why not the more cores for games? On benchmarks the 5900 performes better than the ones with less cores and another boost does have the 5950 but since I dont do videos its probably dininishing returns. thats exactly why I want to know if there is an advantage in audio production with more cores.

[Markus Krause]

The PS5 and the new XBox will also have 8 cores. That's why game-developers optimize for 8 cores. Besides that it is difficult to distribute load CPU equally on the cores with games.

I decided to buy no Ryzen 5000 CPU and instead wait till middle 2021 till the get cheaper. However I already bought a 570 chipset mainboard and fast RAM, so I am compatible with the new CPUs.

On option you have is to buy a cheap Ryzen CPU with 6 cores now (around €150) and then replace it with a 5000 later. Note: My new mainboard is not longer compatible with the Ryzen 2000 CPUs. It needs at least a 3000 series. Keep an eye on this.
If you buy RAM you could go with one that runs with 3600 Mhz. It is a good compromise with value for money vs speed.

[Amberience]

You're asking the wrong question really. You should be asking about DAW multicore support. Because one signal-flow path will always run on a single core AFAIK.

VST instrument > VST plugin > VST plugin > Routed to bus > VST plugin on the bus

... that entire chain will run on a single core.

But if each track runs on different cores in your DAW, then multi-core support will be super important.

Really you want to know what kind of projects you're running. Fewer tracks, with tons of plugins on each ... single core performance will be more important to you.

Many many tracks, with few plugins on each track.... likely that multicore will be just as important.

Again - depending on your DAW. Not all DAW's have the same multicore performance.

[Markus Krause]

My experience is that in the meanwhile all important and modern DAWs can handle multi-core very well. The technology exists since 15 years now and is established.
Our plugins supports up to 4 cores per instance. Several other plugin companies also do this. If you load 4 instances of Icarus2/Electra2/Warlock/Nemesis/RayBlaster2 then they already can make use of 16 cores.

[Tendou]

okay thats only on live playback or also when you export a whole track? probably if you export stems at once the higher boost core frequency wins but what if you export a project to one single audio file?

[DJ Warmonger]

Single core performance is a limiting factor. At the end of the day you need to sum all the tracks into one, and this is the critical path with longest processing time.

[pixel85]

As long as your Master Bus2 doesn't have any plugins, the more cores the better. But when you add there something then immediately first core performance is becoming more important. I think same apply for Groups/Busses.

My 12 core can run 3 to 4 times more channels with plugins (nothing on Master Bus) than my old 4 core CPU where both are 3.8GHz base.
But sessions with heavy plugins on Master Bus - 12 core is just a bit better.

[jazzmess]

Hi there, thanks for the interesting read. I have a laptop with AM4 socket (only Ryzen 3000 series support so far), and am debating whether I should go for a 3700x (8 cores) or 3950x (16). Given the cooling system, the laptop cannot dissipate as much as a desktop, I am forced to run at fixed CPU speed all cores. Mainly using vsti (some of them are pretty heavy on CPU), would it be best to run the 3700x at 4.1 GHz or the 3950x at 3.5 GHz, which is the best I can achieve to keep the laptop cool. What setup would be the best between these 2 to run a large number of plugins ? Seems that the 3950x is more futureptoof

[Shabdahbriah]

Hi there, thanks for the interesting read. I have a laptop with AM4 socket (only Ryzen 3000 series support so far), and am debating whether I should go for a 3700x (8 cores) or 3950x (16). Given the cooling system, the laptop cannot dissipate as much as a desktop, I am forced to run at fixed CPU speed all cores. Mainly using vsti (some of them are pretty heavy on CPU), would it be best to run the 3700x at 4.1 GHz or the 3950x at 3.5 GHz, which is the best I can achieve to keep the laptop cool. What setup would be the best between these 2 to run a large number of plugins ? Seems that the 3950x is more futureptoof

Neither of those CPUs will work on a laptop.

[jazzmess]

Yes they do. Check the apex 15 by xmg awesome stuff